Equipment

First Look: Nike Vapor Fly drivers

Published

9 years ago

Sep 22, 2015

Here’s your first look at what appears to be Nike Golf’s new line of drivers, the Vapor Fly, which were added to the USGA List of Conforming Driver Heads this week.

Note: Photos from the USGA Conforming Driver List are black and white.

Nike Vapor Fly

Nike Vapor Fly Pro

Based on the USGA photos, it’s difficult to tell what changes Nike made to the Vapor Fly drivers. It seems clear, however, that both will keep the company’s reinforced cavity-back construction, called “Fly Beam” and “Covert” in previous models, as well as a Compression Channel, which returned on Nike’s Vapor driver line. It is positioned on the front of the sole and flexes to improve ball speed on mishits.

Areas on the heel and toe of the sole also indicate the use of a lightweight, non-titanium material — possibly the company’s carbon-enhanced RZN material.

See what GolfWRX Members are saying about the Vapor Fly drivers in our forum.

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15 Comments

Pete

Dec 5, 2015 at 11:50 pm

I used to dislike nike just because it was not TM or Titliest of Callaway blah blah. Swing there clubs on the trackman and when the numbers reveal you just dropped $$$ on the wrong club. You need to hate the green swoosh. If it was a Taylormade Vapor the whole golf world would be praising it. I have a Vapor Pro with diamana blue S70. Fitted at 44.5 inches. The ball speed is faster and more importantly consistent. (155-158. 2300 rpm.) Flys str8 down the center of the fairway 275-280. I would still keep it even if it was rainbow colored. Nike makes elite level clubs for low handicap player’s, but then again everyone needs clubs that work for them.

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BC

Sep 26, 2015 at 8:08 am

Most of these Nike haters dislike the brand based on reasons that have nothing to do with performance of the equipment. I’m looking forward to the 2016 line. The past few years Nike has produced great products!!!!

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ec

Sep 25, 2015 at 4:18 pm

They should put Jump Man on the head and limit it to 500 pieces. They will sell like hotcakes from nike.com, and will not sell on BST!

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ph00ny

Sep 25, 2015 at 11:12 am

Odd to see so many negative comments here. I’m seeing ton of praises on vapor drivers from high club head speed players and trackman numbers to back those up.

Also I had a Nike SQ 460 tour head and i thought it was a nice driver. Same goes for the SQ2 3 wood

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marcel

Sep 24, 2015 at 8:42 pm

one can catch a break with the new equipment…

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John Ineson

Sep 23, 2015 at 6:30 am

It DOES look like a black and white picture of a (possibly) colored driver. Hope they lost the turkey turd green! Surveys show that men are inspired to buy the clubs they see on TV, while women are convinced by trying friends’ clubs — interesting. Sooo . . . color up your clubs in all kinds of garish shades. That way those guys who like to watch millionaire kids play golf will know what clubs to buy. As a Warrior salesman was honest enough to say when I called them once, “It’s all about selling clubs!”

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Jordan S

Sep 23, 2015 at 2:47 am

When did Nike acquire Cobra?

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Jacob

Sep 22, 2015 at 10:13 pm

No joke, I once met a Nike salesman who told me he didn’t use Nike clubs and I shouldn’t either.

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chad

Sep 22, 2015 at 9:02 pm

Ahh so much better without Volt. I would actually consider playing it now.

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- Iain_D
  
  Sep 23, 2015 at 3:02 am
  
  The photos above look like black and white picture of a coloured driver as opposed to a colour picture of a black and white driver if that makes sense. I feel the bright colours may still be there.
  
  Reply Report comment
Joe

Sep 22, 2015 at 8:55 pm

Nike knew their drover was a dud shortly after release. This is the “do over”. I’m ok with that. I just don’t know how the previous Vapor driver series got out the door untested. And it was UNTESTED because the ball speed was certainly an issue.

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SHanks alot danny

Sep 22, 2015 at 4:07 pm

The last driver died 2 weeks after it was shipped, No thanks Nike, stick with shoes and get out of the golf club business.

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- Golfraven
  
  Sep 25, 2015 at 8:46 am
  
  I am saying this for years. cheers
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Pete
    
    Dec 5, 2015 at 11:56 pm
    
    Saying reading hatign go swing one like I did. Maybe youll change your mind and your fore into a 4.
    
    Reply Report comment
Brian

Sep 22, 2015 at 8:53 am

Who are they, TM? This is the second driver set in 2 years!!! Gasp. Shankshankshank

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Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

17 hours ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.

Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.

We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.

Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).

See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here

Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge

Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.

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A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.

See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here

Turning Back the clock

Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.

But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.

For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.

Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.

The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.

The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.

Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter

Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.

Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.

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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.

If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.

Brilliant.

See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here

Stricker’s unrecognizable putter

Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.

Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.

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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates

Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.

Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.

It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines

Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.

Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.

FitzMagic teams back up

Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.

See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here

And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.

We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!

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